Most pundits saw the Baltimore Ravens as a real contender to win Super Bowl LVII coming into the 2022 NFL season.
Endowed with dominant defensive playmakers and sporting the game’s most dynamic quarterback, Baltimore was expected to win its division and make an impact in the playoffs. And while they’ve made the playoffs, expectations of hoisting another Lombardi Trophy are sagging, making this the ideal time for Ravens fans to bet on their beloved team.
Ravens lost three of four to finish regular season
For the first time ever, Maryland online sports betting is available for Ravens playoff betting.
Although they’ve managed to clinch a spot in the playoffs, the Ravens’ latest performances have left much to be desired. Last Sunday, the Ravens lost to the Bengals, 27-16. This loss wasn’t entirely unexpected, given that some starters were benched and third-string quarterback Anthony Brown got the start.
Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson is still out due to a knee injury he sustained against the Denver Broncos in early December.
Baltimore has lost three of its last four games. Moreover, two of those losses were against divisional teams that didn’t make the playoffs this year — the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
Those results aren’t sitting well with oddsmakers. For those looking to bet on the Ravens, however, these hiccups create plenty of value.
Oddsmakers not optimistic of Ravens making the Super Bowl
Going into Week 18 against the Bengals, the Ravens’ Super Bowl odds were +3000, according to BetMGM Maryland, giving them the ninth-best odds to win it all.
Now, the odds of Baltimore winning the Super Bowl sit at +4400 on FanDuel Sportsbook MD.
It’s clear that Baltimore needs Jackson to return to the field if the team is to be seen as a possible Super Bowl contender moving forward.
If the Ravens made it to this year’s Super Bowl in Glendale, AZ, it would be their third Super Bowl appearance. The team won its two prior Super Bowls, in 2000 and 2012. Baltimore defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII. Then the Ravens crushed the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, 34-7.
For a franchise that played its first professional game in 1996, that’s quite impressive.
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Path to the Super Bowl starts with Bengals again
The Ravens leave their home M&T Bank Stadium this weekend to face the Bengals in Cincinnati for a Wild Card matchup. Caesars MD situates Baltimore as an 8-point underdog with a moneyline of +300.
The teams split the two games they played against each other in the regular season. Being divisional opponents, they know each other very well.
The stakes couldn’t be higher on Sunday, with the winner advancing and the loser’s season coming to an end.
Should the Ravens win, they’ll likely travel to the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the next round. That’s unless the lower-seeded Miami Dolphins miraculously defeat the Buffalo Bills.
If Miami pulls off a miracle, Baltimore will face either the Jacksonville Jaguars or the Los Angeles Chargers.
Lamar Jackson a huge question mark
Jackson suffered a PCL strain against the Broncos back in December and has not practiced since. He’s missed five straight games and was replaced by Tyler Huntley. Huntley is hampered by a shoulder/wrist injury and may not be able to play against the Bengals either.
Offensive right tackle Morgan Moses suffered a bicep injury in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, but he returned against the Bengals. Moses, who’s been the Ravens’ highest-graded player by sports analytics company Pro Football Focus over the last two games, has not missed a game since his rookie season in 2014.
Defensive end Calais Campbell (knee) and cornerback Marcus Peters (calf) are also undergoing treatment and did not play against the Bengals. Despite this, coach John Harbaugh remains confident that “both have a chance” to be ready for Wild Card game.
Hopes are high that Jackson and his team will all be ready to play come 8:15 p.m. ET Sunday night.
